Press



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

0. A. ERIOKSON.

PRESS.

No. 414,028. Patented Oct. 29, 1889.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets8heet 2.. O. A. ERIOKSON.

PRESS.

No. 414,028. Patented Oct. 29, 1889.

W wrhr vzz'nz/w- (No Model.) a Sheets-Sheet s. G. A. ERICKSON.

PRESS.

1%. 414,028. Patented 061;. 29, 1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. ERIOKSON, OF RED \VING, MINNESOTA.

PRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 414,028, dated October29, 1889.

Application filed December 19, 1888. Serial No. 294,056. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES A. ERICKSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Red "Wing, in the county of Goodhue and State of Minnesota,have invented new and useful Improvements in Presses, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to hay, cotton, and other presses, and the purposethereof is to provide a simple press mechanism and combine the same witha horse-power having continuous rotary action, whereby a reciprocatorymovement of the plunger of the press is produced at stated intervals.

It is my purpose also to combine with the pressing mechanism automaticpacking-arms, alternating in action with the plunger, whereby the hay,cotton, or other material is forced into the press-box.

The invention consists in the several novel features of construction andnew combinations of parts hereinafter fully set forth, and thendefinitely pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a partial plan view showingthe actuating mechanism or horsepower. Fig. 2 is a vertical section ofthe parts shown in Fig. 1 upon the line 00 m. Fig. 3 is a verticalsection of the horse-power mechanism, the main shaft and its gearingbeing'removed. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective of the main shaft of thehorse-power, showing its cross-head and dogs. Fig. 5 is a similar viewof the main gear of the horse-power. Fig. 6 is a similar view of one ofthe packer-shafts with its arms. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the entiremechanism. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 7,part of the pressbox being broken away.

In the said drawings, the reference-numeral 1 designates the press-box,which may be of any similar construction. It is preferably laid upon oneside and supported by skids 2. Vithin the open end of the box lies theplunger 3, provided with a pivotally-connected bracket 4, to which isattached the plungerbar 5. At the open end of the box the floor orplanking is prolonged or extended to form a tongue 6, which abutsagainst a strong beam or plank 7, forming part of or connected with theframe of the horse-power. Underlying this beam and the tongue 0 is astrip of planking 8, connected to each by bolts 9, whereby the press boxand the frame 10 of the horsepower are rigidly united.

Within the frame 10 of the horse-power mechanism is arranged a verticalshaft 12, stepped in a bearing 13 on the flooring and having support inthe strong cross-braces 1 1 at the top of the frame 10. Upon this shaftis loosely mounted the main actuating-wheel15, having a crank-pin 16,which engages an opening in the end of the plunger-bar 5. Upon one sideof the wheel15 is mounted the segment of gear-teeth 17, extending oversomewhat less than ninety degrees of arc, and upon the upper side of thewheel near its periphery are mounted two opposite lugs 18. Upon theshaft 12, a little above the wheel 15, is keyed a cross-head 18, in theends of which are pivotally mounted dogs 19, their points dropping bygravity below the lower surface of the cross-head, while the tails ofsaid dogs project above the upper surface, as shown in Fig. el. Thesedogs normally engage the lugs 18 on the wheel below the cross-head, andas the shaft 12 is turned they carry the wheel 15 with it.

J ournaled within the frame 10 is a second vertical shaft 20, supportedby elastic arms 21, the lower end of said shaft resting in a slot orchamber 22, and the upper end in an inclosing-bracket 23, whereby theyield of the elastic arms 21 may allow the shaft to move in thedirection of the channel 22. This shaft carries a gear 24, capable ofmeshing with the segment of gear-teeth 17 on the wheel 15, and at itsupper end it is provided with a pinion 25, which lies above thecross-braces 14.

The shaft 12 is rotated by a cross-head 26, having lugs 27, which restand move upon a circular plate 28 on the braces 14. Mounted upon theunder face of this cross-head are segmental racks 29, so arranged thatat each half-revolution of the shaft they will engage the pinion 25uponthe shaft 20 and operate the latter. Upon one of the cross-braces 14are secured cam-lugs or tripping-blocks 30, so arranged that as theshaft 12 revolves the tails of the dogs 19 will be brought into contactwith said lugs or blocks and the said dogs released from engagement withthe trippinglugs 18 on the wheel 15. This disengagement takes place ator an instant before one of the ICO segmental racks 29 on the cross head26 meshes with the pinion 25 on the shaft 20, and the wheel 15, to whichthe plunger-bar 5 is connected, being then free to rotate independentlyof the said shaft, it is, by the revolution of the gear 24 through thesegmental racks 29, carried back through part of a revolution, therebyretracting the plunger-bar 5 and withdrawing the plunger. An instantafter the segmental rack leaves the pinion 25 the dogs 19 again engagethe lugs 18 on the wheel 15, carrying it forward and throwing theplunger a second time into the pressboX. The operation is continued aslong .as the cross-head is turned.

The elastic supports 21 are provided in the event of the interference ofthe teeth of the segment 17 and those of the gear 24, or of the similarinterference of the racks 29 with the pinion 25. The yield of theseelastic arms permits the shaft to spring to one side and bring the teethinto mesh without breaking or otherwise injuring them.

The press-box is supplied or fed through an opening 31 in its upperwall. Upon opposite sides of this opening are mounted rockshafts 32,upon which are packer-arms 34, which are preferably curved. Uponopposite ends of said shaft are mounted actuating-levers 35, to whichconnecting-bars 36 are pivotally attached. These bars are operated by across-head 37, carried by the plunger bar5. Theends of the packer-armsare usually bent in opposite directions to act more effectually upon thematerial supplied to the press. The levers 35 are provided with severalapertures 38, to permit the pivotal attachment of the connecting bars 36at different points, whereby the throw of the packer-arms may besomewhat varied.

Inasmuch as it may be desirable to provide in somecases for a greater ormore extended reciprocation of the plunger-,1 make the pinion 25interchangeable, and provide the crosshead 26 with bolt openings 39,whereby the segmental racks 29 may be adjusted to compensate for thelesser diameter of the substituted pinion.

It is evident that other power may be substituted for the horse-powerwithout change in any essential feature of that which constitutes myinvention. 7

In the walls of the press-box I form slots 41, and upon said walls aremounted elastic metal strips 40, having one end attached to thepress-box and the free ends curved inward and bent at substantiallyright angles to the wall of said press-box to form shoulders lookingtoward the rear of the box, as shown in Figs. 7 and S. I The free endsof these strips play in the slots 41, and as the'press-plunger is thrownin and out they recede into the slots; but as the plunger is withdrawnthey are thrown out and tend to hold and prevent the packed hay fromfollowing the withdrawing plunger. I also attach to the cr0ss head 26 anequalizer 42, consisting of a chain running over a central pulley 43,and over pulleys 43 on the ends of the cross-head, said chain having atintervals rods or wires located at the points where no contact with thepulleys occurs. The ends of the chain are carried beyond the ends of thecross-head and the whiflietrees are attached thereto. The equalizationof draft secured by this arrangement is evident.

WVhat I claim is 1. In a hay, cotton, or other press, the combination,with a suitable press mechanism, the box of which is connected to theframe of a horse-power, of a pl anger-bar, a wheel having lugs, asegment of gear-teeth andacrankpin to which the plunger-bar isconnected, a

main shaft on which the wheel is loosely mounted, said shaft carrying across-head having dogs which normally engage the lugs on the wheel, agear meshing with the segment of gear-teeth, a shaft carrying said gearand having a pinion at its upper end, a crosshead revolving the mainshaft and having racks by which reverse rotation is imparted to thepinion, gear, and wheel, and tripping cams or blocks arranged on a partof the horse-power frame above the dogs for trip ping the latter priorto the action of the racks, substantially as described. I

2. In a hay, cotton, orother press, the com bination, with aplunger-bar, of a horsepower frame, a wheel having lugs, a segment ofgear, and a crank-pin to which the bar is con nected, a cross-headhaving dogs normally engaging the lugs on the wheel, a gear meshing withthe segment of gear-teeth on the wheel, a shaft carrying said gear andhaving a pinion at its upper end, a cross-head by which motion iscommunicated to the 'cross head carrying the dogs, the former havingsegmental racks by which reverse rotation is imparted to the pinion,gear, and wheel, and tripping cams or blocks arranged on a part of thehorse-power frame above the dogs, and by which the latter are trippedand released from engagement with the lugs on the wheel, substantiallyas described. V

3. In a hay, cotton, or other press, the combination, with a horsepowerframe and a plunger-bar, of a wheel having lugs, a segment of gear, anda crank-pin by which the bar is reciprocated, a cross-head carrying dogsengaging the lugs on the wheel, a gear meshing at each part revolutionwiththe segment of gear teeth on the wheel, a shaft carrying said gearand having a pinion atits upper end, a main shaft, a cross-head on themain shaft having racks which mesh at each half-revolution with thepinion, tripping cams or blocks arranged on a part of the horsepowerframe above the dogs, and elastic arms and slotted bearings supportingthe shaft which carries the pinion and the gear, substantially asdescribed.

4. In a hay, cotton, or other press, the combination, with a horse-powerframe and a main shaft, of a plunger-bar, a wheel loosely mounted on theshaft and having lugs, a seg ment of gear-teeth, and a crank-pin towhich the bar is connected, a cross-head on the main shaft having dogswhich normally engage the lugs on the wheel, a gear and a pinion on aseparate shaft, the gear meshing with the segment of gear-teeth on theWheel, a cross-head on the main shaft having racks which mesh at eachhalf-revolution with the said pinion, tripping cams or blocks arrangedon a part of the horsepower frame above the dogs to trip the latter,rock-shafts on opposite sides of an opening in the press-box, saidshafts having packer-arms, and connectingbars operated by a cross-headon the plungerbar and connected to actuating-levers on the rock-shafts,substantially as described.

5. The combination of the plunger and the lengthwise-reciprocatingplunger-bar 5, hav- OHARLES A, ERICKSON. Witnesses: I

W. O. WILLIsroN, 0. FORSSELL.

